EnCirca launches industry-first Web3 solution to help companies protect their brand on the blockchain
BOSTON, MA – (NewMediaWire) – July 14, 2022 – EnCirca, a 20-year-old ICANN-accredited domain name registrar, today introduced AltRoots (www.AltRoots.com), the industry’s first Web3 trademark search engine. AltRoots enables brand owners to monitor potential trademark infringement and secure their own Web3 URL on the blockchain in preparation for participating in the decentralized network and metavers.
World-renowned brands across a variety of industries, including McDonalds, Microsoft, Chase Bank, YouTube and Epic Games are flocking to the decentralized web and private metavers to establish their presence and protect their brands on the blockchain.
Web3 domains
Web3 domain names are a type of non-fungible token (NFT) that operates in blockchains, metavers, and the decentralized network. They are used for digital wallets, digital identities, web hosting, email and metaverse store fronts.
While blockchain domains such as .eth and .crypto have become popular, there are no regulations or security measures in place to prevent trademark infringement. Cybersquatting on brands or domains using name variations similar to trusted brand names can cause confusion and harm to consumers who want to interact with the brands they know and love on the decentralized network.
Brand protection on Web3
“Now is the time for anyone who thinks they want to do business on the blockchain to secure their Web3 brand identity and trademarks,” said Tom Barrett, President of EnCirca.
To help companies establish and protect their brands on Web3, EnCirca has created AltRoots (AltRoots.com), a brand search engine with more than 8 million blockchain domains. AltRoots enables trademark attorneys to detect registered blockchain domains that may indicate trademark infringement or cybersquatting.
Web2 vs Web3 domain name
Web2 (the Internet as we now experience it) has 1,500 top-level domains (TLDs) regulated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a non-profit organization established in 1998 to help maintain Internet security. Each time you register a domain on the Internet, you accept legal terms dictated by ICANN’s policies as part of the domain registration process. ICANN’s guidelines and laws provide trademark owners with several methods for monitoring and closing trademark infringement.
However, ICANN’s policies do not cover Web3 domain names.
Unsafe environments require proactivity
Meanwhile, blockchain developers have introduced their own Web3 TLDs, including .eth and .crypto and millions more. Unlike Web2 domains, Web3 domains inherit the blockchain functionality by being anonymous and immutable. Businesses need to secure a compatible Web3 domain name to participate in the decentralized web and metavers. However, since there are no ICANN policies or laws to protect trademark rights on the blockchain or to publish ownership identities, companies face an uphill battle if their trademark is already taken on Web3.
“As the current chair of the Blockchain Subcommittee for the International Trademark Association, I have been considering the threats and opportunities of blockchain technologies for trademark owners for several years,” says Barrett. “For any trademark owner planning to offer blockchain services, or even a presence in a metaverse, it’s time to secure and protect their Web3 identity on the decentralized network.”
AltRoot availability
The first AltRoots service monitors the exact and close similarities of a trademark against over 8 million blockchain domains from multiple blockchain ecosystems. Interested trademark owners and attorneys can sign up for a free account now at https://www.altroots.com.
About EnCirca
EnCirca (www.encirca.com) is an ICANN-accredited domain name registrar founded by Tom Barrett in 2001. EnCirca offers trademark protection, domain portfolio management, cyber security, DNS and web hosting and other domain services. EnCirca distinguishes itself by specializing in limited registry operators such as .BANK, .REALTOR, .PHARMACY and .CPA. EnCirca is also active in the blockchain Web3 domain area, helping trademark owners acquire their brands in various decentralized namespaces, including the Ethereum naming service, the Handshake protocol, and more. In addition to chairing the Blockchain Subcommittee of the International Trademark Association, Barrett also previously led the development of the industry-leading SAEGIS trademark research platform for Thomson-CompuMark.
About AltRoots
AltRoots (www.altroots.com) is the first brand search engine focused on blockchain domain names. The search engine is updated in real time every time a new Web3 domain name is registered, updated or deleted. The domain names are then indexed according to trademark research principles to detect variant strings that are closely related to specified trademarks. The search engine covers over 8 million active Web3 domains spread across the blockchains Ethereum, Polygon and Handshake, with more being added on a rolling basis.
PR contact:
Cara harbor
AMP PR, LLC
